


Missing Scenes from Kryptokos

by Assassin_J



Series: Desmond has a kid, or, How I Learned To Stop Angsting And Love Parenthood [2]
Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Childbirth (Off-Screen), Discussion of Abortion, Gen, Minor Original Character(s), Missing scenes from my other fanfiction, Modern Day, Mostly Dialogue, Mpreg, Vignettes, worrying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-03-07 02:19:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3157487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Assassin_J/pseuds/Assassin_J
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Mpreg!Desmond story <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/2295608/chapters/5048438"><em>Kryptokos</em></a> is complete. But my brain dreamed up a few extra scenes. So I'm posting them here. These are three vignettes told from three characters' points of view.</p><p>1. Shaun Can't Handle The Mpreg<br/>2. William Asks For Advice<br/>3. Rebecca Listens In</p><p>If you want, you can skip over this and go right on to <em>Because of You</em> without missing any plot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shaun Can't Handle The Mpreg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This scene would occur in the middle of [Chapter 10: Impassioned Heart](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2295608/chapters/5149361).

April 20, 2013 

 

"Bill, what's the hold up? It's obvious Desmond doesn't want to keep the blasted thing, so why hasn't it been dealt with yet?"

"Our hands are tied, Mr. Hastings. Have been from the start."

"Have been?" Shaun blinked and adjusted his glasses. "What, you mean to tell me you've already known he was up the duff?"

"Yes, I've known since January. That's when Ms. Russ discovered... the situation." William sighed quietly. "But even then, any termination attempt would have been too hazardous. Surgery of that sort can't be done here, and moving Desmond to another location was out of the question. You know full well how intensely the Order was searching for us after our shenanigans in December. It's a miracle we got to this location safely. We couldn't risk leaving."

"But, but don't they have a pill or something that can take care of these things?" Shaun sputtered.

"Not when 'these things' are three months along," William hissed. "And furthermore, at that point Desmond didn't have..." His face twisted awkwardly as he paused for a moment. "He didn't have any sort of, ah... outlet, through which 'these things' might be passed if they were 'taken care of' through medicinal means."

"Well then what about bloody **magical** means? The Apple got him like that, right? Can't it be undone the same way?"

"I did suggest that. Desmond wouldn't even consider attempting it."

" **Make** him attempt it, then!"

"He didn't want to," William stated bluntly through a frown. "And I'm not going to force him. Besides, we can't be sure that the Apple wouldn't just escalate the situation by mutating him some other way."

"Oh, so we're just going to resign ourselves to having some sort of dodgy Juno-spawn running round the place."

"We've confirmed it's a normal human."

"Ah, yes, 'normal', that's the perfect word to describe this!" Shaun stormed out of the office.


	2. William Asks For Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This scene would occur during [Chapter 29: Names](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2295608/chapters/6036425).

July 6, 2013

 

"Ah, Dr. Lynn?"

She looked up from her laptop. "Yes, Mentor? Did you need something?"

William laced his fingers together behind his back, feeling nervous, which was a very rare emotion for him. "I trust you've heard by now. About Desmond and, ah, Alice?"

She nodded. "They're expecting your grandchild."

"Yes, well, about that. Desmond wants to be there at the, ah, labor."

"That's sweet of him."

"The trouble is, I'm not sure what I..." William cleared his throat, then amended the sentence to fit their cover story. "Desmond is not sure what he should do during that time. So. Do you have any suggestions I can pass along?"

"Well, childbirth can be very scary," began the matronly MD. "Especially for a first-time mother. The thing Alice will need more than anything is to be reminded of her own innate strength."

He nodded, inscribing this advice indelibly on his mind.

"Desmond's sure to be scared as well, but tell him he's got to keep a positive attitude displayed for Alice's sake."

"Positive attitude," William repeated stiffly.

"Yes. Remember, women are built to have babies."

"Mn. That they are. That they are."

Dr. Lynn smiled. "And tell Alice from me: The moment you meet your little angel, when you see how they're a perfect mix of yourself and the man you love, you forget all about the pain."

William avoided her gaze. "Well. I, ah... I'll pass that along, then."

She chuckled. "I'm sorry, was that too sentimental for you, Bill? I know you're not the sentimental type."

"I... no, it's all right. Thank you for your time, Dr. Lynn." He turned and headed back outside.


	3. Rebecca Listens In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another perspective on Andrew's birth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NB: there are two bathrooms. the first is a smaller one off the hallway, and the second one is a larger one attached to the infirmary.

August 5, 2013

"If it's hurting that bad, then I think it's time to go back to Stace. Unless..." Rebecca blinked a couple of times. "Is Junior coming **right this minute**? Are you about to shit him out right on the bed here?"

"The only thing I need to shit out right now is shit." Desmond managed to stand up. "I'll swing by the crapper and meet you back at the infirmary."

They trotted together down the hall to the bathroom.

Rebecca chilled outside the door until a sudden loud grunting worried her. "Uh, you need some help in there?"

"Go away! Fuck!" Desmond screamed.

"You sure about that?"

"I don't need any fucking help using the toilet! Even during a contraction!"

His loud voice reverberating down the hall had now drawn William from the woodwork. "What's the status?" he whispered to Rebecca.

"Getting pretty tough for him, so I guess it's getting toward the end of things?"

"Let's hope it is." William's face was tense, his hands restless and clammy. "Let's hope."

 

* * *

 

"Okay, there's a contraction, come on, push with it, push with it!"

Desmond seized a white-knuckled hold of the cot and did as the medic said.

Rebecca continued kneading the knotted muscles in his back and shoulders through his robe. Though she wasn't sure exactly how much the massage was helping, she did want to help somehow, and didn't know what else to do aside from saying encouraging words.

There was a knock on the door. "Ah, how we doing in there, son?"

"Hggggh!" Desmond growled through gritted teeth.

Rebecca could practically feel the pain her friend was in. "Sorry, Bill, he can't talk right now, he's pushing."

"Pushing," William repeated in amazement. "He's..."

The infirmary doors squeaked open a crack, and Rebecca looked back to see a sliver of worried and sweaty face, but the doors almost immediately closed again. "Aw, you too chicken to witness the miracle of birth?"

"I... Birth..." She heard a gulp. "He's said he's... not comfortable having me there for that part."

 _But he's okay with me, I guess. Or at least he hasn't said otherwise._ Rebecca felt a strange sort of honored.

Desmond let out a short final grunt and then slumped forward into Stacey as the contraction ended. "God damn this labor thing is hard." He rested a few moments, then added, "Especially this pushing part."

Rebecca laughed, a short throaty chuckle. "Well, did ya think it'd be easy?"

"No," he admitted, "but I- oh shit!" He scrunched up his face in effort and bent his spine forward slightly. "Grrrrr...rrgh!"

"Don't strain yourself, okay?" Stacey offered a suggestion. "Try pushing more gently but for a longer time."

"Grrrrgh! Urrrrghh!"

Then the noises suddenly stopped, and Desmond hunched forward even more.

There was a soft intake of breath from Stacey, and then she said, "It's okay.... I should have figured this might happen. I should have told you ahead of time."

"What's going on?" Rebecca asked. _Did he tear from pushing too hard? Is there something wrong with Junior? Is he coming out backwards or something?_

"Nunna your business!" Desmond snapped.

"Rebecca, could you bring me a basin of warm water?" Stacey asked. "And some cloths, the sterile ones, okay?"

 _Ohh._ She got up from her position behind Desmond and hastened to fulfill the request. _I see. Poor guy accidentally pushed out some poop._ This assumption was strengthened when Rebecca saw him waddling into the bathroom with a blush.

She tested the temperature of the water and then wheeled the basin next to the cot. "Aside from that, is everything going alright?"

Stacey nodded. "Yes, things are proceeding pretty rapidly. Desmond has very strong abdominal muscles, and that's helping a lot with his pushes." She glanced at her watch and then up to the wall clock to double-check the time, which was ten past four. "We should have a baby within the hour."

Rebecca whistled. "Wow. A baby. Desmond and Clay's baby."

William opened the doors again and noticed the lack of his son on the cot. "Where is he?"

"Taking a bathroom break." Rebecca jerked a thumb in that direction.

"He'll be done soon, you said?"

Before anyone could reply, a primal noise rang out from the bathroom. "Gaahhh!"

"What's happening?" William demanded. "Is he all right?"

"He's fine," was the medic's semi-calm answer.

"That didn't sound like 'fine' to me!"

"Well what do you expect, he's having a baby!" Rebecca retorted in exasperation. "I've heard it's kinda painful!"

William fell limply into a chair and rubbed his head.

"I'll check on him now, okay?" Stacey said, then knocked on the bathroom door. "Desmond? How close are you?"

 

* * *

 

Rebecca and William waited anxiously in the infirmary. It seemed Desmond and Stacey weren't coming back out anytime soon.

"I guess Desmond doesn't want me to witness it either," Rebecca said. "I guess Junior's gonna be born in that bathroom."

William coughed.

"Well, I suppose there are worse places to be born," she continued, trying to keep the mood upbeat. "Like, a port-o-potty or something."

Muffled noises of pained effort from Desmond and indistinct reassurances from Stacey came intermittently from behind the door. Rebecca drummed her fingers on her leg. William plucked at his beard hair.

Then a new and louder sound started: running water.

"Russ is filling the tub? Why is she filling the tub?"

"Uh. Dunno." Rebecca cast about for possible answers. "My guess would be... either Desmond is getting really sweaty from all the exertion and he wants to wash up, or..."

"Or what? Or **what**?" William prodded insistently.

"Or he's suddenly decided to do a waterbirth."

"Water... birth."

"Yeah, that's a thing."

"A thing."

Rebecca shrugged. "Some women say the water helps the pain."

"Huh." William appeared about to say something else, but was interrupted by a cacophony of expletives, eventually culminating in "Son of a cunting bitch, don't go back in! Goddammit!"

He and Rebecca swiveled their heads to stare at the door.

Apparently Stacey had just told Desmond to relax, for the next angry words were, "How the fuck am I supposed to fucking relax right now!? It's ripping me apart and it hurts like a motherfucker! Like ten motherfuckers!"

There was another inaudible murmurance from the medic, and then, "Animus shit! Don't compare this to that! Fucking apples to oraaaagghh!!"

At this, William got up and bolted to the bathroom door, put a hand on the knob, but then pulled his hand back and started chewing his thumbnail and pacing across the infirmary.

The scream faded away to silence. Silence that persisted longer than was comfortable.

Both William and Rebecca shared the same thought: As bad as the yells and screams had been, this quietude was even more nervewracking.

Slowly, Rebecca put her ear to the door, and heard Desmond's breathing, now uncannily controlled: "Hee, haa, hee, haa, hee, haa..."

 _Oh wow. He's actually lamazing!_ she thought. "He's doing fine," she reported to the anxious man behind her.

"Fine? Fine?" William repeated, his voice a hiss of bitter disbelief. "If he's 'fine', then why's he gone deathly quiet all of a sudden!?"

Rebecca turned back to face him. "Because he's using his breath for breathing now instead of cussing."

"Ah, right. That would do it." William relaxed visibly, and they returned to their chairs.

But Rebecca couldn't take the suspense for more than a few minutes and soon ran back to listen at the door again, hoping for more auditory updates. Her eavesdropping was rewarded when she heard a series of pained grunts: "Ha, errg, huh, errrg, ah, errrg!"

"Okay, he's pushing some more."

"Still? How many pushes does it take?"

"A lot, apparently."

"You don't think he's... his, ah, anatomy is... too small, perhaps? Too crowded?"

"Don't ask me, I haven't actually seen it," Rebecca said, keeping her ear to the door. Then she heard Stacey say, "Okay, head's out. You're almost done."

"He's almost done, Bill!" Rebecca shrieked excitedly.

"Good... good..." William said in a tremorous whisper.

A tense minute later, there came a sploosh-splash of something being lifted from underwater, and immediately after that, the unmistakable cry of a baby.

Rebecca was overcome with a sense of pride that drove her into spontaneous applause. William let out a heavy sigh of relief.

The crying subsided after a minute or so. The father and the friend waited as patiently as possible, allowing time for... what, exactly, they didn't know.

For Desmond and Junior to get cleaned up: birth was undoubtedly a messy business.

For Desmond to have a few moments semi-alone with the kid he'd suffered so much for.

For Stacey to make sure both father and child were hale and hearty after their mutual ordeal.

Rebecca couldn't stand it for very long though. Knock knock...


End file.
